56 



EiCHAED Frotschee's Almanac and Garden Manual 



THE SWEET POTATO. 



Convolvulus batatas. 



The Sweet Potato is next to corn the most important food crop in 

 the South. They are a wholesome and nutritious diet, good for man 

 and beast. Though cultivated to a limited extent on the sandy lands 

 of New Jersey and some of the middle States, it thrives best on the 

 light rich sands of the South which bring their red and golden fruits to 

 greatest perfection under the benign rays of a southern sun. It is a 

 plant of a warm climate, a child of the sun, much more nutritious than 

 the Irish Potato on account of the great amount of saccharine matter 

 it contains, and no southern table should be found without it from the 

 first day of August till the last day of May. Some plant early in spring 

 the potato itself in the prepared ridges, and cut the vine from the 

 potato when large enough, and plant them out ; others start the pota- 

 toes in a bed prepared expressly for that purpose, and slip off the 

 sprouts as they come up, and set these out. The latter method will 

 produce the earliest potatoes, others who set out the vines, say that they 

 make the largest tubers. In preparing the land the soil should be 

 thoroughly pulverized, the ridges laid off about five feet apart, well 

 drawn up and rather flat on top. If everything is ready and time for 

 planting has arrived do not wait for a rain, make a paste of clay and 

 cow manure, in this dip the roots of the slips and press the earth firmly 

 around them. Old slips are more tenacious of life than young ones, and 

 will under these circumstances answer best. Watering afterwards, if 

 dry weather continues, of course, will be beneficial. Otherwise plant 

 your vines or slips just before or after a rain. Two feet apart in the 

 row is considered a good distance. The ridges should never be dis- 

 turbed by a plow from the time they are made until the potatoes are 

 ready to be dug. 



Scrape off the grass and young weeds with the hoe and pull up the 

 large ones by hand. Crab grass is peculiarly inimical to the sweet 

 potato and should be kept carefully out of the patch. The vines should 

 never be allowed to take root between the rows. Sweet potatoes should 

 be dug before a heavy frost occurs, a very light one will do no harm. 

 The earth should be dry enough to keep it from sticking to the potatoes. 

 The old fashioned i)otato bank is the best arrangement for keeping 

 them, the main points being a dry place and ventilation. Varieties 

 generally cultivated in the South. 



TTBie l^am. Taking into consideration quality and productiveness 

 the Yam stands at the head of the list. Frequently when baked, the 

 saccharine matter in the shape of candy will be seen hanging to them 

 in strings. Skin and flesh yellow, and very sweet. "Without a doubt 

 the best potato for family use. 



The BerDietda. This variety is perhaps a little more productive 

 and earlier than the preceeding, but far behind it in quality. Skin red, 

 flesh white and mealy, and on that account not very popular as a table 

 potato. 



Sbaug^foai or Califoruia ITaEii. This is the earliest variety 

 we have, frequently, under favorable circumstances, giving good sized 

 tubers two months after planting the vine. Very productive, having 

 given 300 bushels per acre when planted early and on rich land. Is al- 



